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Thrust line analysis of triangular arches

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Abstract

The solution to the classic so-called Couplet’s problem was provided more than a century ago, and recently, in the frame of limit equilibrium analysis, elliptical and pointed arches have also been carried out. Albeit triangular form of arches is the structural precursor of the mentioned ones, its mechanical behaviour has not been sufficiently researched. Therefore, the present paper elaborates in detail the thrust line analysis of different types of triangular arches under self-weight. Hence, with respect to vertical, normal, horizontal and radial stereotomy, the closed-form expression of the corresponding thrust line, as well as the numerical values for the minimum thickness, is derived.

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Acknowledgements

The paper was done within the Project No. TR36042 supported by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia.

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Correspondence to Dimitriye Nikolich.

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Nikolich, D. Thrust line analysis of triangular arches. Arch Appl Mech 90, 1861–1874 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00419-020-01701-7

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